Name the Captain

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Interests:My name is William Pace and I live and work as a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer in Northern Utah. I'm married to the lovely Tracy Pace and we have three children. In addition to all things art, I enjoy traveling and meeting new people from every walk of life. I've always been a fan of history, theology, and of course, Pyracy.

Captian Quicksilver comes to mind, but there already is a Quicksilver living in California (he came to the 2005 PiP). Perhaps too simplistic, too in keeping with the Mercury theme as to be too clever by half. Still, it has to be discussed.

Cinnebar Quicksilver? Sounds like some sort of confection, an energy bar for skateboarders. I think a good, stout English name and a good stout backstory would probably be best. So first things first: Is he English, English Colonial or what?

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Interests:My name is William Pace and I live and work as a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer in Northern Utah. I'm married to the lovely Tracy Pace and we have three children. In addition to all things art, I enjoy traveling and meeting new people from every walk of life. I've always been a fan of history, theology, and of course, Pyracy.

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Interests:My name is William Pace and I live and work as a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer in Northern Utah. I'm married to the lovely Tracy Pace and we have three children. In addition to all things art, I enjoy traveling and meeting new people from every walk of life. I've always been a fan of history, theology, and of course, Pyracy.

So, is our Captain a stout fellow, well met and a true sea wolf, or a bumbling idiot we elected captain so he would go to his cabin and stay out of the way of our Quartermaster? Is the reason he is away so much that he is on important work for the ship or that we have sent him on a fools mission? "Captain! We need a left-handed keel straightener! One can be had in the village 30 miles to the North! Go quick!"

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Interests:My name is William Pace and I live and work as a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer in Northern Utah. I'm married to the lovely Tracy Pace and we have three children. In addition to all things art, I enjoy traveling and meeting new people from every walk of life. I've always been a fan of history, theology, and of course, Pyracy.

The name is more academic and for purposes of having a Captain by name when asked, but I think he should be someone well spoken of when spoken of, and given a certain dignity. The use of the absent Captain is also beneficial when describing the absent 'numbers' of crew members to any given inquiry.

"Where's your Captain then?"

"Our good Captain so-and-so is with a company of our men inland on business most pressing."

It lends us an opportunity to 'pad' our numbers by narration. I used it extensively at Fort de Chartres when the passing public would ask 'Where's your ship?". I would tell them that it was my privilege to be inland with some chosen men for the purpose of trading with the French and the Chickasaw while the good Captain had the keeping of the Mercury.

Agreed. He's a good man and true. Now, why is he a pyrate again? I mean, the man's past can be a mystery that he doesn't talk about much, but we should know some things about him. Not too much detail, just enough.

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Interests:My name is William Pace and I live and work as a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer in Northern Utah. I'm married to the lovely Tracy Pace and we have three children. In addition to all things art, I enjoy traveling and meeting new people from every walk of life. I've always been a fan of history, theology, and of course, Pyracy.

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Interests:My name is William Pace and I live and work as a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer in Northern Utah. I'm married to the lovely Tracy Pace and we have three children. In addition to all things art, I enjoy traveling and meeting new people from every walk of life. I've always been a fan of history, theology, and of course, Pyracy.

Agreed. He's a good man and true. Now, why is he a pyrate again? I mean, the man's past can be a mystery that he doesn't talk about much, but we should know some things about him. Not too much detail, just enough.

Pyrate? I think you mean Privateer, with all of the proper paperwork and backing of any given government of the moment. Pyrate is such an unforgiving word.

I say we make the man Colonial born, since the whole business of this Mercury crew began here, but give him strong family roots to a named English port town. Then I say we pick another port city of the day in the colonies for his nativity and go from there. Make him a true old salt.

I kind of like John Whitehead. Historic, strong. The fort is located just off Whitehead street. (I'll take a walk down Whitehead Street, hang a left at the Green Parrot Bar..Sing it to Buffett's Migration.)

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Interests:My name is William Pace and I live and work as a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer in Northern Utah. I'm married to the lovely Tracy Pace and we have three children. In addition to all things art, I enjoy traveling and meeting new people from every walk of life. I've always been a fan of history, theology, and of course, Pyracy.

I prefer Richard for two reasons. First, as a away of avoiding too many more Johns (since we have a few good men of that name in the company already), and second, because the name Richard is crazy popular on so many early passenger and colony lists.

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Interests:My name is William Pace and I live and work as a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer in Northern Utah. I'm married to the lovely Tracy Pace and we have three children. In addition to all things art, I enjoy traveling and meeting new people from every walk of life. I've always been a fan of history, theology, and of course, Pyracy.

The trouble with Whitehead is that it conjures the image of a zit for me.

Well it didn't for me until now!

EDIT: Back when we were naming the Mercury, the first name proposed was Speedwell (Which is also the name of the ship which brought the Pilgrims to Southampton to connect with the Mayflower). Since we've already borrowed the name 'Speedwell' for the ship we sailed on before transferring to the Mercury, we could draw from the passenger list of that historic ship, such as the Captain's name 'John Thomas Chappell'. Thomas Chappell is a good name, but even if we don't use it, Southampton is a good port city for our own Captain's ancestry.

I have Animal House on the brain. I finished a book on the making of the movie a week or two ago and so, of course, I went back and watched it again for the umpteenth time. Now all the lines are fresh...

Southard is pronounced in Key West as Suth-erd, although if we were to use it, I really like your other pronunciation.

I am probably a horrible one to be involving myself in this as I am just thinking about words and the way they go together where you two are considering the character and backstory of the Captain. So I will always choose the interesting name that rolls off the tongue over the one that would better represent your ideas.